The Butterfly Effect: How Education Is Important To Us

Written by: Ysabelle Denise Kish Andres

Education is the pathway to success. It should not be a privilege, but a human right. Every single child deserves to study and learn. Many countries in the world still suffer from the lack of education. Some places don’t have classrooms. Some places lack teachers. Some places don’t even know what education is. It leaves us in a state where we see it as a privilege. That those who aren’t capable don’t stand a single chance.

It is saddening that those who receive no education live in poverty. They don’t stand a chance to be innovators, changemakers, or catalysts. But every child should have a chance. A UNICEF study highlights the "literacy ripple," demonstrating that each additional year of schooling boosts an individual's future income by 10%, with this increased income often benefiting their family and community through reinvestment. It is a fact that those who have the access to study can lead to many breakthroughs. It can lessen poverty, crime rates, and build a society that is hopeful and unified. A future for everyone. A hope for everyone.

The butterfly effect is the idea that something small can have much larger effects. Teach one person, and that person teaches another and another and another. It is so important that a single knowledge planted in a kid can turn into millions of ideas. In the future, a student that knows how to read can teach their parents. A single child who knows science can invent extraordinary things. A single girl that studies math can solve complicated problems. Knowledge is our ultimate renewable resource, multiplying exponentially as it passes from teacher to student, from student to community.

We are privileged enough to even read this. Those who have the access to quality and reputable education are the changemakers. Let us join forces to be the weavers of change in our community wherein every child can study. Every child can read and write. Let us be the people that give them hope.

Support local literacy programs or donate school supplies to underserved schools. Volunteer as a tutor or mentor for children who need extra help. Advocate for policies that ensure free, quality education for all. Even sharing stories and raising awareness in your own community can inspire others to act.

If not you, then who will give them the chance to learn?